Midweek meals: Five family dinners ready in 30 minutes or less

From naan pizza to speedy bolognese, take the stress out of family dinners with these recipes

Midweek meals: Five dishes ready in half an hour

Butternut squash mac and cheese

Butternut squash is the essential ingredient in this silky smooth mac and cheese

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1 butternut squash, cubed

• 350ml milk

• Salt and pepper

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Grating of nutmeg

• 450g macaroni or small pasta shells

• 100g strong Cheddar, grated

• 50g Parmesan or Grana Padano, grated

• 50g mascarpone (optional)

• For the breadcrumbs (otional): 

• 100g breadcrumbs

• 2tbsp butter

Method

1. Place the butternut squash, milk and 150ml water into a saucepan and bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the garlic, nutmeg and salt and pepper. 

2. After 15-20 minutes, pierce the squash with a knife. If there is no resistance, turn off the heat and leave to cool slightly while you cook the pasta according to the packet instructions. 

3. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of pasta water. 

4. Using a stick blender, purée the butternut squash in its cooking liquid. Stir in the pasta and cheeses, stirring until the cheeses are melted and the sauce has come together. Taste, adding more seasoning if needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a little pasta water to thin it out. 

5. Melt the butter in a small frying pan and stir the breadcrumbs in foaming butter until golden and crispy. Scatter on top of the mac and cheese just before serving. 

10-minute naan bread pizza

Naan breads are perfect pizza bases when after-school activities demand a swift dinner

Servings

4

Cooking Time

 13 mins

Total Time

 13 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 plain naan breads

• 300g passata

• 400g Mozzarella

• Suggested toppings:

• Pepperoni

• Finely sliced red onion

• Roasted peppers

• Jalapeno peppers

• Sliced olives

• Parmesan

• Rocket

• Pesto

Method

1. Turn the oven on to 200°C with the baking tins inside, preheating while you assemble your pizza. 

2. Sprinkle the naan breads lightly with water before spreading with passata, salt and pepper. Dotting pesto on top of the passata is delicious if you like pesto. 

3. Follow with cheese, and the toppings of your choice. 

4. Bake for ten minutes, until the cheese has melted and the naans are pillowy and crisped at the edges. 

Pork fillet stroganoff

recipe by:Darina Allen

Yoghurt gives this dish the tang it needs. Don't skimp on the cornflour - it is essential for stabilising the sauce

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 15 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 1tbsp vegetable oil

• 500g (18oz) pork tenderloin, cut into thick strips about 1 cm wide

• 15g (½oz) unsalted butter

• 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

• 250g (9oz) closed cup mushrooms, wiped and thickly sliced

• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

• 1tbsp Worcestershire sauce

• 1tbsp Dijon mustard

• 1tsp paprika

• 150g  Greek yoghurt

• 1tbsp cornflour mixed with 100ml cold water

• Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Preheat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat and add the oil . Add the pork and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from the pan.

2. Add the butter to the pan, then the onion, mushrooms and thyme and pan fry until just softened. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and paprika.

3. Return the pork with its juices to the pan and mix well. Combine the yogurt and cornflour mixture and fold through the meat to warm through. Season with pepper.

4. You may like to add a little extra water for a thinner sauce or another tub of yogurt for a creamier sauce.

Saucepan sausage stew with fennel and lentils

recipe by:Michelle Darmody

Lentils are a fabulous addition to this quick stew

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 25 mins

Total Time

 30 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• dash of rapeseed oil

• 400g good quality banger style sausages, chopped into bite size pieces 

• 2 onions, finely chopped 

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 

• 1 medium sized fennel bulb, sliced 

• 2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted 

• 1 tsp chilli flakes 

• 200g puy lentils 

• 300ml stock 

• 100ml white wine 

Method

1. Heat your oil in a heavy saucepan, and sauté the onion until completely soft.

2. Add the sausages and garlic and fry until the sausage pieces have browned all over. Stir in the fennel.

3. Now add the fennel seeds, chilli flakes, wine, stock and lentils.

4. Bring to a gentle boil and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes until the sausages are cooked through.

5. Taste and season.

Speedy bolognese

recipe by:Darina Allen

Don't have time to make a slow-cook bolognese? Try this quick version tonight

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 20 mins

Total Time

 25 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Italian

Ingredients

• ½ medium yellow onion

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp butter

• 450g fresh tomatoes

• 340g ground beef chuck

• salt

• 280g tagliatelle or pappardelle

• 30g Parmesan, freshly grated

Method

1. Peel the onion and finely chop it. Put the olive oil and butter in a 12-inch skillet, add the chopped onion, and place over medium-high heat. Sauté until the onion turns a rich golden colour (about five minutes).

2. While the onion is sautéing, peel the tomatoes and coarsely chop them. When the onion is ready, add the ground beef, season with salt, and cook, stirring, until it has lost its raw colour and just begins to brown (two to three minutes).

3. Add the tomatoes, season them with salt, and cook over medium heat until the liquid the tomatoes release has almost completely evaporated (10-12 minutes).

4. Add about two tablespoons of salt to the boiling pasta water, add the tagliatelle, and stir until all the strands are submerged. Cook until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain well, toss with the sauce and the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve at once.
   This recipe is from Giuliano Hazan's Thirty Minute Pasta: 100 Quick and Easy Recipes.